The determination of the Task Team to ensure that the Grahamstown Correctional Services escapees were apprehended and behind bars, paid off when the pair was rearrested and brought back to where they belong.
On Saturday, 12 December 2020 at 15:30 two inmates of the Grahamstown Correctional Facility at Waainek escaped. It is alleged that the two men, both convicted prisoners, climbed an inner wall and an outer fence to escape. Since their daring escape, the Task Team comprising Correctional Services, Grahamstown COCC, and Grahamstown K9 have been on their heels.
During the morning of 13 December 2020, several leads were received from members of the community, and just before 12:00 the same day, a local Detective received information on the whereabouts of Zuko Luzuko Lizo Makhanda Gxasheka. Information was followed up and the man was traced to Transit Camp, Joza where he was arrested.
On Monday 14 December 2020, just before 21:00, valuable information was received on the second suspect. The Task Team immediately followed up the information that Lonwabo Ngqokoqwana was in New Cottages, Joza. The address was confirmed and the Task Team swooped in. The fugitive fired shots at the members who returned fire and subsequently injured the fugitive. He was arrested.
The task team further arrested the suspect, who had harbored the fugitive. He faces a case of harboring an escapee.
Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga praised all the members of the Task Team who were involved in tracing and apprehending the fugitives. “The tenacity of the Task Team in exploring all avenues in order to trace the fugitives is to be lauded. The willingness of the community members to share valuable information with the police applauded. Tracing these escapees would have taken much longer without the valuable information received from the law-abiding citizens,” she added.
